Railway-crossing.



STRIGKLA D.

RAILWAY CROSSING;

'24, 150;. Q I Patented Dec.29, 1908. 2 SHEETS- SHEET 1;

APYLIOATION FILED JULY 908,351.

' P. M. STRIGKLAND.

- RAILWAY CROSSING;

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. 1908. 908,351 7 PatentedDec. 29, s

' SHE 2 HTS-S BET 2 Q\\\\\\\\\\\\XNII UNIT) STATE$ PAENT FFICE.

FRANCIS M. STRIOKLAND, OF EAST LAKE, ALABAMA.

RAILWAY-CROSSING.

Application filed July 24 T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. S'rnrox- LAND, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at East Lake, in the county of Jefferson and State ofAlabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Crossings, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to an improvement in railway crossings, and theobject thereof is the provision of a crossing, which is so fastened thatthe rails will not be subjected to excessive wear from the hammer blowsof the wheels in passing thereover.

Another object contemplated by this invention is the provision of acrossing which when assembled will present a strong rigid structure, andthe several parts of which may be readily removed and replaced whenworn, without dismembering the entire organization.

To the accomplishment of the recited objects and others coordinatetherewith, the preferred embodiment of my invention resides in thatconstruction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustratedin the accompanying drawings, and embraced within the scope of theappended claims.

In said drawings :Figure I is a perspective view of my improved railwaycrossing. Fig. II is a sectional elevation taken along lines X X of Fig.I. Fig. III is a perspective view of one of the angular brace members.Fig. IV is a view in perspective of the particular type of rail jointemployed. Fig. V is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the railsections. Fig. VI is a sectional elevation taken along lines Y-Y of Fig.I, and Fig. VII is a plan view in section, taken along lines ZZ of Fig.VI.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, numerals 1 and 2 designatethe railway or main rails, and rail sections or girder tramrailsrespectively, which, generally speaking, constitute the form of crossingusually adopted at the intersection of steam-railroad and street-railwaytracks. The contiguous terminals of these rails are connected by a novelyoke coupling comprising two cooperative sections (3) and (4), andhaving a shank portion (5) and an angular rabbeted portion (6), and ashoulder or re-inforcement (7) at Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

1908. Serial No. name.

the point of formation of said angle or medially of the longitudinalextent of each section, the reinforced portion of one, preferably theouter, of said members being considerably larger than the correspondingportion of the other member. The outer section also differs from theinner section, in that the rabbet is of greater depth. Furthermore, thesections of the coupling or joint are provided with horizontally alinedperforations (8), preferably four in number, two on the shank and two onthe rabbet, for the reception of the bolts (9). Connected with this typeof coupling, the railway-rails and the tram-rails occupy proper relativepositions, that is, owing to the disposition of the rabbeted portions ofthe coupling, the variation in the cross sectional cont-our of the railsis compensated by ofisetting the railway-rail, so that the latter formsa substantial continuation of the tram-rail. The reinforcements of thecoupling sections insure perfect rigidity, and preclude lateraldisplacement of the rails, and especially is this true of the enlargedre-inforcement on the outer section, since the impending weight ofrolling stock is diverted to the outside rail.

One pair of tram-rails is divided into sections, and at the points ofengagement with the other tram-rails, the terminal portions of theflanges are cut away so as to leave a protrusion (10) which fits firmlybetween the flanges of the intersecting rails. At each angle formed bythe junction of the tramrails, I employ a correspondingly shaped bracemember (11), which is provided with an enlar ed, substantiallytriangular, apex (12) and when positioned intermediate the flanges ofthe rails and secured thereto,by bolts (13), obviates all liability ofthe structure loosening, or becoming otherwise inoperative. As exhibitedin the drawings this entire crossing is mounted on stringers (14) andfastened by bolts (15), the stringers being in turn secured to the ties(16) by spikes (17). However, if it is found desirable, the crossing maybe attached directly to the ties.

It should be understood that in its broader aspects the inventioncomprehends not only the employment of the various means described, butof equivalent means for performing the recited functions. To exemplify,I have shown the tracks of the crossing extending at right angles toeach other,

while it will be obvious that my invention is l equally applicable tocrossings in which the tracks intersect at other angles. Furthermore,the stringers (14) may be laid directly on the ballast or road bed, thuseliminating embodying sections of varying dimensions the ties, theprimary function of which, in this instance, is performed by thestringers. While the arrangement shown is thought, at the present time,to be preferable, it is desired to reserve the right to effect suchmodifications and variations thereof as may come fairly within the scopeof the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, is

1. In a railway crossing, the combination with main rails and crossrails, of a sectional joint, the sections thereof having shank portionsfor engagement with the main rail, and rabbeted portions for engagementwith the cross rail, one of said rabheted portions having a greaterdepth than the other rabbeted portion.

2. In a railway crossing, the combination with main and cross rails, ofa medially reinforced sectional 'joint, the sections thereof havingshank portions for engagement with the main rail, and rabbeted portionsfor engagement with the cross rail,

one of said rabbeted portions having a greater depth than the otherrabbeted portion.

3. In a railway crossing, the combination with main rails and crossrails, of a joint and constituting means for offsetting the main railwith respect to the cross rail, so that said rails will be in alinementWith and a substantial continuation of each other, and angle braces forsaid cross rails.

4-. In a railway crossing, the combination with main rails and sectionaland continuous cross rails, of a joint embodying members of varyingdimensions and constituting means for offsetting the main rail withrespect to the cross rail so that the rails will be in alinement withand a substantial continuation of each other, the sections of said crossrails having terminal projections adapted to interfit the flanges of thecontinuous cross rails.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

FRANCIS M. STRICKLAND.

/Vitnesses C. F. DonsoN, J. H. FINon.

